What it is: the long lost first novel of legendary writer Louis L'Amour, completed by his son and set on a merchant ship rather than the Western locations usually featured in his work.

The premise:TheSS Lichenfield departs the Philippines with its hold full of naptha, a highly flammable oil compound. The threat of a possible explosion hangs over the entire voyage, haunting the crew and increasing the tension in every interaction on board.

Starring: successful journalist Hannah, who decides to quit her glamorous magazine job to write a book about a topic that's always obsessed her -- the disappearances of novelists Agatha Christie, Barbara Follett, and Virginia Woolf.

Parallel narratives: Half the story is told from the perspective of 12 year old Sophie, Hannah's childhood friend who vanished during a wave of child snatchings in their Belgian hometown.

Is it for you? There are many significant details to keep track of as the narrative unfolds and the two separate narratives converge.

What it's about: a near-future America disabled by the Chinese war machine and desperately trying to fight on in the wake of devastating cyber attacks and nuclear strikes.

The biggest threat? A sophisticated artificial intelligence system, which gives the Chinese the ability to prepare for possible American countermeasures before U.S. forces can even finish creating them.

Series alert: this is the 18th entry in Poyer's long-running Tales of the Modern Navy series.

What it is: an atmospheric and richly detailed spy thriller, where the only thing more dangerous than an international conspiracy might be the turf wars and competing interests between factions of the British government.

Starring: Jack McColl, a luxury car salesman whose attention to detail and facility with languages might make him a good spy -- at least if the still-fledgling British intelligence service can keep itself together long enough to support his work.

Why you might like it: Jack's business takes him all over the world, providing a panoramic view of the complex and competing international interests that led to World War I.

Series alert: This is the 1st book in the Jack McColl series, followed by One Man's Flag and Lenin's Roller Coaster.

What it is: the descriptive, intricately plotted story of Jack the Ripper, told in chapters alternating between the perspective of the killer himself and that of an Irish journalist who is trying to track him down.

Is it for you? The author doesn't shy away from the gruesome aspects of Jack's murderous desires, so this is not a book for the faint of heart.

You might also like: The Alienist by Caleb Carr and The Bedlam Detective by Stephen Gallagher, both of which are historical mysteries that explore the criminal psyche and the drive to commit violent crimes.

Starring: Sebastian Foxx (born Sebastiao Raposa), a Jew forced by the Inquisition to convert to Christianity and the former apprentice of London-based "thief-taker" Benjamin Weaver.

What happens: In 1755, Sebastian secretly returns to his native Lisbon to get even with the man who reported his father to the Inquisition, thank the man who helped him escape to England, and track down the woman he loves.

Series alert: This compelling and dramatic novel is the suspenseful spinoff spin-off of David Liss's acclaimed series of Benjamin Weaver mysteries.

What it is: the thought-provoking, compelling story of Yossi Brand, a Holocaust survivor who illegally immigrates to postwar Jerusalem and joins the Jewish underground movement against British occupation.

Read it for: the complex motives of the characters; the author's spare and elegant writing style.

The premise: It's the height of World War II and bafflingly, an abandoned Japanese submarine is discovered deep in the Amazon rainforest.

The problem: Things only get weirder after the improbable discovery, exposing secret Nazi science experiments and advanced weapon developments that could turn the war decisively in favor of the Axis powers.

Is it for you? This fast-paced bio-thriller features cryptozoology, ties to the mythical "Lost City of Z," and abundant elements of horror fiction.